Kross vs. McIntyre: What To Expect From Their Rare Strap Match At Extreme Rules

Last week on Friday Night SmackDown, The Scottish Psychopath Drew McIntyre wasted little time by marching straight to the ring with a leather strap in hand and confirming for the WWE Universe and Karrion Kross himself that at Extreme Rules on Oct. 8, the two will face off in an infamous Strap Match.

McIntyre’s heartfelt promo on Friday addressed his recent issues with Kross and Scarlett, however, McIntyre didn’t wait long to inform fans that he “went straight to the top” while making Kross’s first big main roster match official. He warned Kross that a strap match is especially brutal and that the strap is implemented to make sure neither opponent can run or cower away from one another.

Just then, Scarlett appeared on the entrance ramp and stared daggers through the former WWE Champion. While McIntyre was distracted, Kross jumped him from behind. McIntyre valiantly fought back and was able to lock Kross’s wrist into the leather strap and regain control of the brawl. McIntyre whipped Kross with the strap numerous times before Scarlett paid dividends once again by delivering a low blow to the Scottish Warrior.

With McIntyre injured from the low blow, Kross had more than enough time to lock in his chokehold submission finisher and put his future opponent to sleep. Although the segment ended with Kross and Scarlett on top, fans know Kross wouldn’t have survived without the distraction of Scarlett.

The main takeaway from this segment? The WWE Universe will finally see another strap match in WWE!

The Strap Match has only happened a handful of times in WWE and has left seasoned veterans and new WWE fans alike needing a refresher on exactly what is about to go down. Here's the gist: Both Superstars will be tied together by a leather strap, binding them together for the course of the no disqualifications matchup. While some Strap Matches can be won by pinfall (submissions are not allowed), the most common way to win is to drag your opponent into all four corners of the ring without interruption.

Past Strap Matches throughout WWE history have been violent and unpredictable, including the hard-hitting battle between Sheamus and Mark Henry at Extreme Rules 2013. Fans can certainly expect a similar showdown between two of WWE’s most intense Superstars, as the upcoming match promises to feature frenetic violence such as whipping and props such as chairs and tables.

For now, you can catch up on all the Strap Matches throughout WWE history with the WWE Network on Peacock!